William a



(No Model.)

W. A. BOOK.

BLANK FOR RAIL BRAOES.

No; 342,173. Patented May 19, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM A. BOOK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GILBERT G. MAQLAOHLAN, OF SAME PLACE.

BLANK FOR RAlL-BRACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 342,173, dated May 18, 1886.

Application filed February 8, 1886. Serial No. 191,242.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. 13001;, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Braces, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of rail-braces, the object being both to improve the product and the manner of producing it; and it consists in the hereinafter described methods or process of manufacture which result in the production of the finished article.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a perspective View ofa portion of the blank from which the braces are subsequently out. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rail-brace, and Fig. 3 shows a section of a rail with the brace in position.

Similar letters denotelike parts throughout.

A represents one of the rails of an ordinary railroad-track, and B is my improved brace, which, as shown, is so formed as to fit underneath the head of the rail and rest firmly upon the flange thereof and then extend outward at right angles from the track, providing the strongest possible support for the rail to be obtained from the amount of material used. The braces B are produced in large numbers and at the minimum expense by rolling them in one continuous bar of any length that can be handled, the braces being subsequently separated by means of a saw.

In order to designate the points for the transverse cuts which separate the finished article from the blank, I provide the finishing-rolls, or provide a separate pair for this particular purpose, with ridges extending across their periphery and adapted to produce in the finished blank the transverse notches or depressions I), which not only serve to indicate the points at which the blank is to be severed to produce the finished article, but also prevent the formation of a burr along the edge thereof and leave it in a nicelyfinished condition, after which the spike-holes are punched and the article is ready for use.

The advantages of the above-described method of manufacturing railbraces will be readily appreciated, since it enables me to use the very best and strongest 1naterials-such as steel and wrought-ironat avery low expense for manufacture; and, moreover, I am enabled to dis pose the material used so as to gain the greatest possible strength, and therefore afford the most support to the rail against which the brace is placed.

YVherever it is found desirable to use a brace more than two or three inches in width. the blank can be severed into asmaller number of portions than those indicated by the notches D, or the final marking may be altogether omitted.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. The blank 0, formed in eontinnonslengths by rolling, and adapted to be subsequently separated transversely to form the braces B, substantially as shown and described.

2. The blank 0, formed in continuouslengths by rolling, and having the transverse notches I) therein, and adapted to be separated transversely along the lines of said notches to formthe braces B, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM A. BOOK.

\Vitnesses:

GILBERT G. MAoLAcnLA'N, ALEX. MAoLAcHLAN. 

